I'm not really following you on the molars & other teeth drying & cracking. I have seen it happen on Boar tusk's, but the only time I have had a problem with the molars cracking is from excessive heat.

Michael,

I have some boar jaws from a few years ago. Some of the molars have cracked in half. It may be the high heat and dry conditions we get here as you said.

I do pretty much the same as you Michael except I use vegi oil spray as a release agent on the palette for the bondo cast and i put a circular piece of wire in it as it sets.I use bondo, bog as we call it, for the upper palette detail. I just coat my bondo cast with vegie oil and press into the wet bondo in the jaw. Our bondo dries light pink and needs a light paint to finish.I cut the jaws as thin as I can length ways.I also like to build up the gums on the lower jaw before installing it.

These days though I'm more likely to buy a jawset with no whets/tusks installed and dremel out the tusk/whet sockets until I can fit the real ones in there and stain the repro teeth to match the real ones. Much simpler.

Michael, Might I suggest that you reconsider your belief that Javelina tusks will not crack routinely. I have several skulls that are from 2-7 years old and in every one there is evidence of a split down the rear edge of each tusk. This is a common result if they are not filled. Granted I'm in a dry environment, but I bet the consensus is that they will in fact split over time. Whether or not your customer notices this is another thing altogether. BTW, Nice idea on the palate repro!

I have a Javelina that was mounted circa 1995 in my showroom & have absolutely no cracks in the real teeth....same appllys with with an approximately 3 year old set. There is a round a 1/32 X 1/2 inch opening compared to the mostly solid bone mass inside the teeth. I can't see the benifit of filling the small void compared to a hogs tusk's being mainly hollow. Were you're Javelina teeth exposed to high heat Rich???

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Spent my whole life lookin' back Not lookin' ahead to see Trying to keep my feet on track Doin' what was expected of me Kick my shoes off so they can't trace me Leave no forwarding address Before they all drive me crazy And I leave 'em all in a bloody messC.C.

Why alot of people are dead against any heat I am not....but you have to use it sparingly. Only simmer if you are ever gonna get results.

I will give you the best example I can think of. Most of you I will assume have cooked stew. Do you boil or simmer it to get your stew meat tender??? You simmer it slowly, otherwise it's rubbery & tough. Also look at how much more immense heat will make a bone expand (and break down) When the bone later contracts which it is not made to do it will crack.

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Spent my whole life lookin' back Not lookin' ahead to see Trying to keep my feet on track Doin' what was expected of me Kick my shoes off so they can't trace me Leave no forwarding address Before they all drive me crazy And I leave 'em all in a bloody messC.C.

I cast the upper jaw with plaster and then place both the top and bottom jaws in a bucket of water until the tusks and grinders come out. Also at this time the odd tooth comes out. From there I was the tusks, grinders and teeth in warm water and detergent then place aside to dry. The two jaws are them simmered until clean and then left to dry as well.

I then glue the tusks, grinders and teeth back into the jaws, mix the All game with flocking and rebuild the gums on the two jaws.

As for tounges I've moulded the odd fresh tounge in RTV rubber and just make my own out of bog (bondo) then paint.

So far I've never had a problem with either tusks or grinders crack. Heres a photo of a pig done this way.

I am from Spain, Europe which is why I do not speak English well, what sorry.mi work is 50% of boars for 22 years and never cracket tusks and molars nor my solution is once removed and cleaned their teeth, stuffed with wax ensures that keeps the moisture they need